United States has expressed disappointment over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the February polls to March.
In a statement issued in Washington, the Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. was “deeply disappointed” by Nigeria’s decision to delay the election. “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process,” Kerry said.
He visited Nigeria on Jan. 25, urging the People Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan and the All Progressives Congress party presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to prevent potential post-election violence by their supporters. The statement read:
“The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14. Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
“The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence.”
The Sun
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